Bullies Hammer Plank Of Wood With Nail Into An Autistic Boy’s Head

Romeo Smith was strolling behind his mum and dad when a 20cm-long plank of wood was lobbed at his head on Sunday August 6. He was rushed to hospital by his parents and had to wait in A&E with the batten still attached to his skull. .

Romeo has described how he feared the worst after the cruel attack. He said: ‘It was a very scary experience. When they threw the plank I could feel it stick in the back of my head. That was the scariest part. I thought that I was dying.’ .

Mum Natasha Smith, 30, said: ‘It was terrible. He was sat there waiting with a plank of wood sticking to his head – like something out of a horror film. It is always hard to tell what Romeo is feeling due to his condition. .

But he was really traumatised at the time – not knowing what was happening and having a plank of wood and a nail sticking to his head.’ The incident happened as the family, of Mansfield, walked home from Romeo’s grandmother’s house. .

Natasha’s husband Craig, 35, found Romeo trapped up a tree by three boys who were brandishing sticks and calling him names. As Craig approached Romeo came down from his perch but as the pair walked away one of the boys picked up the plank and threw it. .

The nail pierced the skin at the back of Romeo’s head and Craig scooped him up in his arms and ran home to Natasha, who is a nurse. Doctors gave Romeo morphine and removed the nail – which they said had actually hit his skull, causing it to bend. .

He is now bandaged and recovering on a course of antibiotics at home. Natasha said: ‘It is horrible because these three boys were his friends and had been knocking round for him during the summer.”